[neruda read french at university][the french usually learn 'blasons' when they study Baudelaire in senior high schools]

there are lots of blasons in 'the flowers of Evil'. for beginners, see 'le beau navire', 'le poison'.

blason was in vogue in the french renaissance.see, e g Ronsard (a catholic priest, the greatest love poet of the french renaissance), http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/rhren_0181-6799_1997_num_45_1_2163

or henri weber's intro to his edn of Ronsard's Les Amours--available at the hku main library